Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves. - Henry David Thoreau

Filmed recently in Nashville, Jonathan Burdon and Sam Toby of SocialCoaster talk about their decision to work in a startup. I was intrigued by Toby's thoughts about the opportunity and peril of startup culture, particularly, as he explains elsewhere in the video, because he turned down the opportunity to work in a well established, successful and decades-old business started by his family.

Sam Toby:

It's sometimes takes getting in over your head to find out exactly where you stand.

Whether the new beginning be in business or the arts or the sciences, the final outcome cannot be fully known, of course. With any successful venture, there will be setbacks, dead ends and unplanned changes along the way.

Originality involves risk.

But "knowing where you stand" and understanding ourselves - that's one immeasurably satisfying reward.